Teacher: Acrimony around budget, union activities 'will ultimately harm the children'
On teachers union activities
Editor, Townsman:
Once again, I feel that the incorrect information has been printed in the newspaper. This time it is not an editorial position or an instance of incomplete reportage but a letter of opinion, not fact, which has compelled me to prepare a reply.
John Zipeto is upset about the actions of the Andover Education Association (AEA), the professional organization representing the interests of the teachers, librarians, assistants and nurses in the Andover public schools.
First, he credits an unattributed rumor to the “leadership” of the AEA with creating a “political maelstrom.” Let me try to clarify the process. The AEA is a democratic organization, that is, we arrive at decisions after discussion and voting. The budget of the Town of Andover is similarly discussed and voted upon. Decisions by the AEA are the result of these deliberations, just as the Town budget is the result of democratic deliberations. If the AEA decides that more money is needed to effectively run the schools, we let that be known. If the Town decides to fund the budget of the schools at less than that figure, we must deal with that, too. That the Town might have more resources than it lays out in the annual budget seems borne out by the raises given to the Town Manager and the monies for the new assistant manager. I’m certain that the new Superintendent will not suffer when that contract is signed, either.
More egregiously, since this issue has been explained several times in the newspaper, the refusal of the membership of the AEA to allow a reduction to our negotiated, contractual raises was not a decision taken lightly. If we had been assured that any savings would benefit our members, we might have voted differently. Despite the dire predictions of the Superintendent and the inaccurate reportage of the news, the actual reduction of staff was very, very much lower than predicted. The Administration was unwilling to assure us that the reduction in our salaries would be used only to prevent layoffs. We did not vote “to sacrifice the economic well-being” of our members; rather we voted to wait and to maintain the contract for which we had worked and negotiated. Thirty-five members were not “laid off.” And, if you believe the newspapers, the budget was balanced, in the end, without any “give backs.
And, finally, the Race to the top monies were not explained well to anyone, each choosing the interpretation that suited him. They do not really appear to amount to much for Andover, and have strings attached to them that gave even school committees in the Bay State pause. The expression “red herring” comes to mind, several red herrings, I‘d say, judging by the smell.
I’d hope that the folks aren’t in favor of subverting the democratic process by ignoring the results of votes, by whatever body. If balance, reason and fairness go “out the window,” then civil discourse will not be far behind. Acrimony around the schools budget and the activities of the AEA will ultimately harm the children and the Town of Andover. Surely that is not anyone’s intention?
Tim Van Wey
Salem, Mass.
Andover High School teacher
A shorter version of this letter appeared in the March 11, 2010 print edition of the Townsman.
